Housing affordability becomes worldwide concern

The International Housing Association (IHA) has issued a worldwide call to improve housing affordability during its 2015 interim meeting held recently in Canada.

IHA members have agreed to pursue various actions to help advance housing affordability across the world, which include sharing successful tools and strategies and addressing practices which directly and negatively impact housing affordability.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) – a member of the IHA – said it supports the international association’s affordability agenda.

“The IHA defines housing affordability as the availability of housing which is reasonably adequate in standard and location for lower- or middle-income households and does not cost so much that a household is unlikely to be able to meet other basic needs on a sustainable basis,” HIA spokesperson Kristin Brookfield said.

“As we talk to other housing organisations across the globe, it is clear that there are common issues impacting on affordability, such as taxation on new housing and excessive charges for related infrastructure.

“Through sharing strategies to address affordability internationally, it is hoped we can all benefit from new approaches and learn from the mistakes of other countries,” she said.